INCE, one of those who has experienced
the famous hairdryer treatment.
The Guvnor reckons the class of 2008 are treated with
kid gloves by Fergie compared to the ferocious treatment dished out
in his day. But the Rovers boss maintains the Scot is the best
manager there has ever been and was the only man who could have
controlled him and his chippy team-mates.
Ince left United 1995 after a bust-up with the boss.
But he said: “In the 1993-94 season, Fergie must have fallen out
with every one of that United squad. “Has he changed over the
years? I don’t see them on the training ground or in the changing
room. “But every manager has to change, especially the old school,
because the game has changed. You have to evolve with it. Alex has
taken that on board. “I don’t think he uses the hairdryer as much
as he used to but I’m not sure you can be like that any more.”
Fergie needed to be strong to keep the likes of Ince,
Roy Keane, Eric Cantona and Peter Schmeichel under control back in
the 1990s. Ince won two Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and a League
Cup in his time at United.
He added: “In our time, you had big egos, big
characters. Fergie could absolutely rollock us and knew that he’d
get a response. “With today’s footballers you have to be a little
bit more careful. “If we felt we were right, we’d chip back. When
you have egos and characters, they clash.
“Ours was a team which no other boss in the world could
have controlled. They were such strong characters. “For him to deal
with 13 or 14 big strong personalities and opinions, to get them to
win the Prem for the first time, shows how great he is.”